Don't Think "Don't"
by Dr. Rick Jensen
"Don't hit it in the water." "Don't push it out of bounds." "Don't
chunk it." "Don't sway." And, "Whatever you do, don't 3-putt!"
Sound familiar? These words reflect the silent mutterings
inside the minds of many players just before they strike a golf ball.
I refer to them as "The Don'ts." On the surface, "The Don'ts"
certainly seem like good advice &endash; warning the player to stay
alert of looming hazards and potential swing flaws. Are "The Don'ts"
an effective strategy for preventing bad things from happening on the
golf course, or are they a form of negative thinking? Are "The
Don'ts" helpful or hurtful to one's golf game? Let's see!
In the following paragraph, I am going to ask you to do
something, and I'd like you to try to the best of your ability to
succeed at my request. Here goes...
"Don't allow your mind to think about any form of dessert.
Don't think about ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate
cake. And whatever you do, don't think about cheesecake, pumpkin pie,
or apple strudel. Now, take a moment and make sure that you don't
think about any of these desserts."
The above request will give you an indication of how
suggestible you are to "The Don'ts" When I asked you to "don't" think
about desserts, what happened? Did any images of desserts begin to
form in your head? Did your mouth begin to salivate? Did you start
feeling hungry? Worse yet, did you put down this article and head for
the refrigerator for something to eat? If any of these symptoms
occurred, rest assured that you are quite normal. Most people have
difficulty succeeding at "The Don'ts." Here's why.
As you tell yourself not to do something, your mind must get an
image or sense of what it is that you do not want to do. Once you
have an image of "The Don't" in your mind, you can then choose not to
do it. The problem is that you have to imagine "The Don't" before you
can make a choice not to do it. Imagining "The Don't" is oftentimes
inevitable; the key is that you must have time to choose not to do
it. If I ask you not to think of a dessert, your mind thinks of the
dessert before you can choose some alternative thing to think about.
Thus, you may fail at my request. However, if I were to say, "Don't
stand up," even though your mind may process the sensation of
standing up, you have time to make the choice not to act on these
sensations.
In the game of golf, "The Don'ts" create problems for players,
because they often happen just prior to a player's backswing, thus
limiting the time for a player to choose not to act on the electrical
impulses that are being processed by the brain. As a result, it is
very common for a player to think, "Don't push this putt," and then
immediately push the putt. Players often follow such "don't"
experiences with a statement such as, "I knew I was going to do
that."
The question remains, is it okay to think "The Don'ts" during a
round of golf? Yes, it has to be okay. I'd love to say no; however,
such a request would be almost impossible to achieve. For example,
let's say the last three times you played a particular hole, you hit
your tee shot into the water. The next time you play the hole, what
is the likelihood that your mind would recall hitting the ball into
the water? Quite likely! And what is the likelihood that you would
begin telling yourself, "Don't hit it in the water this time."? Quite
likely! Is this okay? Certainly! It has to be okay. Your mind is
simply recognizing that you have had previous experiences on this
particular hole and informing you that you would benefit by not
replicating them. Good advice. The question is, what do you do with
this advice?
There are two rules for dealing effectively with "The Don'ts."
These rules are outlined below.
Rule #1: Whenever Possible, Don't Think
"Don't"
Obviously, if you can avoid thinking "The Don'ts," then do so.
If you can pre-condition yourself to think positively throughout a
round of golf without letting any negative thoughts enter your mind,
you will be much better off. For instance, if you are having a bad
putting day, you may train yourself to think over every subsequent
putt that "I'm due." This thinking pattern will naturally replace any
sensations of missing with the expectation that sooner or later you
are due to make one. The anticipation of a putt going in the hole
will then take the place of any possible doubt or fear.
Rule # 2: If You Do Think "Don't," Back Away
And Give Yourself Time To Select An Alternative Positive
Intent.
Sometimes, "The Don't" pops into your mind before you have a
chance to prevent it. Do not fear. Utilize the thought of "The Don't"
as a cue that it is time to back away and take control of your
thinking. View "The Don't" as an opportunity to pay more attention to
what you are intending to do with the ball. For example, let's assume
you are hitting a 6 iron approach shot over water, and your mind
whispers, "Don't chunk it!" This errant thought can be your signal to
BACK AWAY and consider why you are concerned about chunking the shot.
Possibly you need a 5 iron instead of a 6 iron and your mind is
doubting your club selection. If so, backing away gives you time to
select a new club. Possibly you are recalling yesterday's round when
you did chunk one in the water. If so, backing away gives you a
chance to take charge of your thinking and replace "The Don't" with a
positive intention, such as, "Let's see if I can hit a 5 yard fade
that lands 5 yards left and 3 yards past the pin."
"The Don'ts" do not have to be prevented or feared. They are a
natural consequence of your desire to play better golf, your striving
to prevent bad shots, and your recalling past events that were not to
your liking. Don't try to control "The Don'ts" &endash; simply
recognize them and take control of your reaction to them.
Dr. Rick Jensen is President of the Performance Enhancement
Center of Boca Raton and the Director of Sport Psychology at the
Academy of Golf, PGA National Resort and Spa. He works extensively
with touring pros on the PGA, LPGA, Nike and Golden Bear Tours, and
is a frequent lecturer at golf clubs nationwide. He can be reached at
561-852-3603.
